1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an air conditioner to control uniform temperature of air blown to an indoor space and a method of controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An air conditioner uses movement of heat produced during evaporation and condensation of a refrigerant to cool, heat or purify suctioned air and discharge the suctioned air to condition the air in an indoor space.
The air conditioner performs cooling operation of discharging the indoor heat to the outside during summer and performs heating operation of circulating the refrigerant in the reverse cycle of the cooling cycle to supply heat to the indoor space during winter.
Air conditioners may be divided into a split type and an integrated type. In the split type air conditioner, an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are separately installed. In the case of the integrated type air conditioner, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are installed together in one cabinet. The split type air conditioners may be further divided into a floor standing type and a wall mounted type depending on how the indoor unit is installed.
The indoor unit of the split type air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger to cause air suctioned into the panel to be subjected to heat exchange, and an indoor fan to suction indoor air into the body and discharge the suctioned air to the indoor space.
Generally, the indoor unit of the split type air conditioner has the indoor fan disposed at the lower portion thereof and the indoor heat exchanger disposed at the upper portion thereof. In addition, a discharge port to discharge air is formed on one surface of the body of the indoor unit adjacent to the indoor heat exchanger.
Thereby, the air suctioned in by the indoor fan is moved to the upper portion of the indoor unit, and the air moved to the upper portion of the indoor unit is discharged to the indoor space via the indoor heat exchanger and discharge port.
In the case of the indoor unit having the structure as above, the indoor fan and the indoor heat exchanger are vertically arranged. As a result, space utilization of the indoor unit may be poor.
In addition, the air having passed through the indoor fan needs to be moved to the upper portion of the indoor unit to be discharged. Thereby, a long flow path may be formed from the lower portion to the upper portion of the indoor unit, and a large load may be applied to the indoor fan when the indoor fan drives the suctioned air to flow. Thereby, the indoor unit may be inefficient in using energy, and may have a limit in increasing the flow rate and flow speed of air.
Moreover, in the case that the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor fan are arranged in a narrow space to make the indoor unit compact and slim, the air resistance on the indoor heat exchanger may increase, lowering the performance of the indoor fan and increasing noise during operation of the indoor unit.